A GALWAY County Councillor has warned that satellite navigation could be contributing to a rise in road crashes across the county.

Speaking at a recent meeting, Independent Ireland Cllr Declan Geraghty said drivers following their Sat Navs are being directed straight through dangerous crossroads, leading to collisions and near-misses, despite safety upgrades carried out by the Council.

“A car went straight through a junction outside Williamstown,” Cllr Geraghty said.

“The Council and engineers have done great work there, but it’s still quite serious. People are driving straight through the junction. They are headless on the roads. I have a video of someone driving right through it.”

He said these incidents are becoming more frequent and not limited to one location.

“It’s one of those crossroads we’ve been highlighting for years,” he said.

“In fairness to the County Council, they’ve done as much as they can with flashing lights, stop signs and rumble strips. But people still don’t see what’s in front of them. We have to ask: why are drivers oblivious? What’s causing this?

“We’ve contacted Google Maps and other providers, but nobody has come back to confirm what’s going on,” he said.

“These Sat Navs are sometimes directing drivers straight through crossroads. Even when you follow them on your phone, they can bring you down the wrong path. When I was out driving myself, I came up to a junction, and it told me to go straight through, but it didn’t say to stop.”

Cllr Geraghty warned that official data may not reflect the full scale of the problem because many minor collisions go unreported.

“When accidents happen, people might just exchange details and drive away,” he explained.

“Because they’re not reported, the data doesn’t show what’s really happening. That’s why some junctions aren’t flagged as dangerous.”

He also highlighted mobile phone use as a major hazard on Irish roads.

“Too many people are using their phones instead of watching the road. There’s a truck going around now with cameras catching hundreds of drivers using mobiles. It’s frightening. They cross white lines, they’re distracted. It’s a real problem.”

Cllr Geraghty added that truck drivers are often unfairly blamed for road safety incidents.

“People think truck drivers are speeding, but they’re restricted. What happens is that cars pull in too tight, clip the verge, or burst tyres because they’re not paying attention.”

An Executive update at the meeting outlined ongoing changes to national and local speed limits. National guidelines are expected this month, elected members heard. Once received, Galway County Council will prepare draft byelaws.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.

Pictured: Claims…Cllr Declan Geraghty.